käsipalloa

Käsipalloa, meaning handball in Finnish, is a fast-paced indoor team sport played on a rectangular court. Two teams of seven players (six field players and one goalkeeper) compete to score goals by throwing a ball into the opponent’s net. The team with more goals at the end of the match wins. The sport is governed internationally by the International Handball Federation (IHF) and in Europe by the European Handball Federation (EHF). In Finland, käsipalloa is organized nationally by the Suomen Käsipalloliitto (Finnish Handball Association), which runs domestic leagues and national teams.

Playing area and play: Official indoor matches use a 40 by 20 meter court. The goal area, a six-meter zone, is restricted to the goalkeeper; attacking players generally must shoot from outside this zone. Games are played in two halves of 30 minutes with a halftime break. Play is restarted after stoppages with throw-ins, free throws, or corner throws; a seven-meter penalty throw is awarded for certain infringements or fouls.

Equipment and scoring: The ball is sized according to age and sex; for senior men’s play the standard ball is 58–60 cm in circumference, weighing about 425–475 grams. Teams wear coordinated uniforms, and goalkeepers use specialized kits.

Competition and reach: Käsipalloa is widely played in Finland through schools, clubs, and regional leagues and forms part of both national and international competition under the IHF and EHF. National teams compete in European and World Championships, while clubs participate in continental events.